On the following day, Thursday, May 30th, the "St.
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Helier" again left for Dunkirk, accompanied by two French troopships, the "st.Helier" being the leading ship, and halfway across was subjected to a fierce attack by three planes. Nino bombs fell on the port bow about twenty yards off the vessel, four bombs right ahead were even closer and many fell on the starboard side. One of the planes was shot down by anti-aircraft fire from the "St.Helier" Over 2,000
troops were embarked and the vessel turned to Dover at 7-0 a.m.
Friday, May 31st, arrived at Dunkirk again and loaded 30/5
1,600 French troops. On coming out the H.N.S. "Sharpshooter", a mine layer, went across the "St.Helier's" bows and there was a collision. At the request of the Captain of the "sharpshooter"
the St.Helier" did not withdraw but steamed into her at half speed on one engine for forty minutes to ease the pressure on the bulkheads. It was now quite dark and enemy planes came over dropping flares to locate the ships. A tue came to attend to the H.II.S. "Sharpshooter" Enemy planes were continually around the ships and in the confusion the "Princess Eleanora"
struck the St.Helier" on the starboard bow. After ascertaining this vessel required no assistance the voyage was just proceeding when the Helier" ran over a wreck, but fortunately without doing any underwater damage. The troops were landed at Dover.
On Saturday, June 1st, arrived at Dunkirk 3-30 p.m.,
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16 planes being overhead dropping bombs. The Master of the
'St.Helier" was asked if he would wait and load stretcher cases, to which he agreed and at 6-0 p.m. the vessel shifted and while moving was shelled from the beach, two shells striking the docking bridge and slightly wounding the second mate, but it did not interfere with his duties. The "st.Helier" lay alongside the quay in all for seven hours, the Harbour being fiercely bombarded the whole time from planes and shore batteries. The vessel embarked 40 stretcher cases and filled up with troops, and left the berth at 10-15 p.m. being shelled from coast batteries for thirty minutes before getting out of range. The shells all went over the ship, most of them dropping within thirty yards. Flames from fires on the shore lit up the sea so that the ship was plainly visible.
OARDIFF.
After landing the troops on the Sunday morning the 2/6
Naval Authorities informed the Master that they considered he had done enough and stated they were prepared to put a Naval
Commander in charge. Captain Pitman refused relief. A Naval
Commander and ten ratings were put on board to assist in case the ship was required to take off troops from beaches. The vessel, however, again proceeded to Dunkirk and loaded a full complement of troops. The vessel had now become very difficult to manoeuvre and it was afterwards found that the fore peak was full of water, evidently arising from the collision damage followed by underwater explosions, though this was not discovered until the vessel had returned to Folkestone as it ed was too dangerous to allow any of the crew forward. The fore peak was pumped out at Folkestone. The vessel was shelled while she was alongside the quay at Dunkirk but fortunately of the aim was poor and all the she Is fell just short.
cor the
Though other ships came to Dunkirk after this and took aft
French troops, the S.S. "st.Helier" on this occasion loaded the last of the B.E.F. numbering over 2,000. These British troops were landed on Monday morning and the Helier" stood
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